Mallard (Wild Duck, Northern Mallard)

The Mallard is the most familiar and abundant wild duck in the world. The adult male ( drake) is easily recognized by its glossy bottle-green head, narrow white collar, chestnut breast, and yellowish bill. Females are mottled brown with a orange-and-black bill. They are strong flyers and highly adaptable to human-modified landscapes.

Striking iridescent violet-blue speculum patch bordered by prominent white subterminal and terminal bands, grading into brown and grey-buff barring along the outer web

Strongly pennaceous through the upper colored and banded portions, transitioning to a plumulaceous, fluffy base with no prominent afterfeather

Smooth, glossy, and firm along the pennaceous web with water-repellent properties, becoming soft and downy near the base

Brilliant iridescent blue or violet-purple wing speculum bordered by distinct white bars, a classic diagnostic feature of dabbling ducks in the genus Anas

Found in a wide variety of wetlands, including marshes, shallow lakes, rivers, ponds, agricultural fields, and urban parks

Widespread throughout the temperate and subtropical zones of North America, Europe, Asia, and parts of the Southern Hemisphere including Australia and New Zealand

Acts as an important seed disperser for aquatic plants, a major component of wetland food webs as both predator of invertebrates and prey for larger raptors and mammals

American Black Duck, Northern Pintail, and other dabbling ducks that share wing speculum patterns, distinguished by the specific shades of the speculum borders and body feather barring

Mallards are the ancestor of nearly all domestic duck breeds. Their specialized uropygial (preen) gland produces oil that they spread over their feathers to maintain complete waterproof insulation

Good condition, fresh appearance with vibrant iridescence and intact barbs, showing minimal wear or fraying